If you came here for workouts, scroll to the next section. Leadership philosophy is a passion of mine, and like any philosophy it is not made for everyone. I welcome your thoughts in the comments. I will respond as soon as I can.
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Lead From the Bottom
I have a new nightly ritual. What used to be close-my-eyes-and-pass-out-from-exhaustion, is now lie-in-bed-and-read-the-news-hoping-to-pass-out-through-an-anxiety-attack.
Yesterday my anxiety was sky-high as I read about President Trump’s refusal to wear a mask in public, although advised by the CDC. He essentially said he won’t wear a mask because it’s not cool to wear around world leaders. Is this what we should call leadership?
Absolutely not. We, you and me, are the leaders. We need to set the example for our family, our friends, our community. No one is thrilled to wear a mask in public but this is the world we live in and it’s for the greater good. A mask is a small piece to a bigger puzzle. We need to be courteous, generous, and give people actual and figurative space to figure their shit out.
Pick A Side
I once had a coach who told me I was suffering from the Disease of ME. I thought I was so good, so untouchable that I didn’t need my teammates. I believed I could play the game on my own, until he asked me:
Who would throw me the ball?
Who would block for me?
Who would pick me up off the ground?
In football, there’s eleven players on each side, each with a specific job. What I failed to understand then—what I hope you understand now—is that every person has a role to play. If everyone works together, we get through it; if one person deviates from the play, everything falls apart.
Many of us suffer from this Disease of Me, forgetting that our actions have consequences for other people. We live in a seminal moment which we will all look back on and reflect on the role we played. It’s up to us to help each other. We need some people to raise their voices and start becoming part of the solution, instead of contributing to the problem.
Sometimes, the best plays don’t call for brute strength.
As Americans we embrace a The Only Way Out is Through It mentality. But the way out of a pandemic isn’t to go straight through—it’s stepping aside on the street, moving backward out of crowded buildings, and sometimes stopping plans altogether.
Trying to fight this thing is going to kill people. Instead of attacking this with our big swinging ego, we should think about the TEAM, and take a humble approach. It takes a lot of courage to be humble. It takes courage to have uncomfortable conversations.
Doing our part means having uncomfortable conversations.
It means standing up to friends if they’re hanging out in Logan Circle. It means letting a family have an elevator to themselves, and waiting for the next one. It means calling out our parents if they refuse to stay home. It means slowing down and allowing others to pass on the sidewalk. And it means wearing a mask in public even when it’s not the “cool” thing to do.
Didn’t come here for this? Sorry, here you go — Disney, ESPN, People. You should find very comfortable conversations happening within each of those links.
For the adults left in the room, let me leave you with these three things:
Lead by example.
The only way through this is together.
It’s not about you.
If you’re the only person you’re concerned with, stay on one of the links above.
Cut Seven Live - Free Workouts on vimeo.com/cutseven
Here are our free Live workouts Cut Seven will be offering to non-subscribers. All you have to do is log on to vimeo.com/cutseven and join in.
Follow our coaches on IG to see their schedules: Coach Alex, Coach Clarence, Coach Katie, Coach Mere, Coach Marcus, Coach Chris
Legs / Heart (cardio) Monday 4.6 5:30p EST
Back / Abs Tuesday 4.7 10a, 12:30p, 5:30p EST
Total Body Wednesday 4.8 10a, 12:30p, 5:30p EST
Abs / Arms Thursday 4.9 10a, 12:30p, 5:30p EST
Chest / Ass Friday 4.10 10a, 12:30p, 5:30p EST
*Subscribers will be able to replay these workouts and other on-demand content anytime, on any device. Reminder: This newsletter will remain free for healthcare workers, service workers and to anyone laid off, had hours cut, or provide financial support to family or friends.
We’ve also added more time-slots to our Zoom small group training program. Please email us at info@custeven.com to find out more. Cut Seven resistance packs (featuring resistance bands, mini bands, sliders, and a door anchor) are available for purchase now and can be shipped to addresses outside of the DC area.
Instructional Workout of the Week - LEGS HEART with Coach Mere
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Chris